Getting pullets to sleep on the roosting bar?

[mrballance]

Ok, at what age will they decide ? Mine were 20 weeks old. They were laying in the nest boxes. At 22 weeks two started laying eggs !! I have six total. I think you have to teach them sometimes unless they have older ones to follow.

 

[TERRY4]

Ok, at what age will they decide ? Mine were 20 weeks old. They were laying in the nest boxes. At 22 weeks two started laying eggs !! I have six total. I think you have to teach them sometimes unless they have older ones to follow.

maybe you don't have the roosts the right place for yours. Mine started as babies, and nobody showed them! The roosts should be so they can get up to them, above the nest boxes. I have 2 ramps, on 2 sides {it's just how mine are} going up to the main roost. Then they spread out to where they like.

 

[mrballance]

where the roost bars are not the problem. One is 12" off the ground and the other is 24" off the ground. I'm telling you some chickens just are not too smart and you have to teach them.

 

[beaglex3]

our new pullets were doing the same thing so i put cardboard boxes into the nesting boxes at the end of the day when i'm sure they are finished laying but before they go in to roost. the boxes are about the same size as the inside of the nest box with a little overhang so they can't still roost on the edge of the nesting box. it's only been a couple weeks, but i'm hoping if i keep this up awhile longer, they will get used to roosting on their bars

 

[44Wolves]

Good news- tonight, I checked on them to find them all up on the roosting bar! After only 2 days!

Thank you all for the help- hopefully they will stay up there!

 

[Thebadchicken]

Great to hear!! I still was moving them again tonight!!!! Stubborn stubborn girls!!!!

 

[iwanaplae2]

We've got one really smart baby. She may not be the enforcer in the bunch, but if we want any of them to learn something we only have to teach her and she teaches them... It was the same with both the roost, and water nipples on the bucket.

 

[iwanaplae2]

We have occasionaly seen one or two of our girls on the roost. But when we go out at night to shut their pop door they are usually huddled in a corner. And by the time we get out there to let them out in the morning, they are already up and chirping at us, like hurry up! We want out!
This morning this is what I found. I'm not sure how long they've been doing it. But I finally caught them up there

 

[mommabs]

I put my chickens out in their coop/run at about 7 weeks.we had to put them in their house at nite for about three days untill they finally got it. They slept in their boxes and I was worried about that but now their 6 months and sleep on their roosts and some still sleep in a box but they all lay their eggs in this one box. Seems they work it out.

 

[Betsy57]

We have occasionaly seen one or two of our girls on the roost. But when we go out at night to shut their pop door they are usually huddled in a corner. And by the time we get out there to let them out in the morning, they are already up and chirping at us, like hurry up! We want out!
This morning this is what I found. I'm not sure how long they've been doing it. But I finally caught them up there

Yeah!